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The PiBoy XRS is a 3.5 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to PSP well, made by Experimental Pi. It came out in September 2022 at $150. Inside is the Broadcom BCM2711 with 1 of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to PSP.
- You want a 3.5 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want 3DS games: it does not run them.
- You only play up to PS1: handhelds under $60 do that.
PiBoy XRS videos
What it plays
Plays up to: PSP. Chip: Broadcom BCM2711.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What the specs mean
4:3 screen
NES to PS2 era home consoles were 4:3, so they fill it. GBA and PSP games show bars above and below.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
PS1 and N64 at exactly 2x
320 x 240 times 2 is the screen's own 640 x 480, so PS1 and N64 pixels stay perfectly even with no filter and no bars.
Based on: Display math: native resolution x whole-number scale = screen resolution
Big battery for its class
Only 1 of 117 Linux and other handhelds in our database have a bigger battery than this 5,600 mAh (the middle one has 3,000 mAh).
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 117 Linux and other handhelds
D-pad on top, sticks below
The d-pad has the natural thumb spot, which suits 2D games. In 3D games your thumb lives on the lower stick.
Based on: Layout data (d-pad placement)
DS without touch
There is no touch screen, so DS games that need the stylus use a pointer moved by a stick.
Based on: Layout data: no touch screen
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to PSP well
- Video out to a TV
- Big 5,600 mAh battery
Not so good
- Not built for PS2 games
Screen fit
Screen: 3.5 inch, IPS, 4:3, 640 x 480.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 68% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 2x (480 x 320) | 50% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 64% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 1x (480 x 272) | 43% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 640 x 480.
Size
162 x 93 x 36 mm, 330 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- PiBoy XRS (162 x 93 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | Broadcom BCM2711 |
| CPU | Cortex-A72 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.5 GHz |
| GPU | Broadcom VideoCore VI |
| RAM | 1 |
| Cooling | Yes |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.5" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 228 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, symetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Stacked |
| Rumble | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (?) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (?) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 162 x 93 x 36 mm |
| Weight | 330 g |
| Battery | 5600 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
Questions
Can the PiBoy XRS play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to PSP well.
Can it play GameCube games?
Partly. GameCube scores 20 out of 100.
Is the PiBoy XRS good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 2x it fills 50% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
5,600 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
Yes, it has video out.
How much does the PiBoy XRS cost?
It launched at about $150 in Sep 2022. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$150 at launch $120 to $250
The newest in its line in our database, out since Sep 2022.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.